For children and adults, getting the right amount of good quality sleep is imperative for both mental and physical health: Your mental health, mood, immune system, memory, focus, productivity, energy, appetite, heart health, and even life longevity can all falter without adequate nightly rest.3 The general sleep recommendation for adults, according to The National Sleep Foundation, is between 7 and 9 hours per night, but it can differ from person to person.

"People with chronic sleep disorders are at higher risk of developing health problems such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, stroke, and depression," says Edward Fisher, MD, PhD, MPH, a member of the Center for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease at NYU School of Medicine. "This means that some of the diseases that cause sleep disorders can become worse from poor quality or quantity of sleep in a vicious cycle."

If you feel like you may have a sleep disorder like chronic insomnia or sleep apnea, Dr. Fisher suggests discussing it with your doctor. "He or she may be able to begin treatment, or, if not, can recommend you to specialized sleep centers," he says. "They have the advanced testing equipment and medical professionals needed to accurately diagnose and treat a variety of sleep disorders."